Slaughterhouse 3 - Page 3

3: The Graphic Novel

I’ve read very few graphic novels. No reason, maybe just habit.

This one starts acknowledging Vonnegut (who shows in the story) and that this is an adaptation. Then a page of “our supporting cast” and a pictorial timeline of Billy Pilgrim’s life.

The story begins in WWII and stays there for the first ten pages. This book is a war story, and follows the same timeline as the other two versions. It’s fairly true to the book as a whole, but does make some changes, some new side journeys.

One most notable change is seeing the Tralfamadorans, who we, like Billy and Montana in the movie, couldn’t see because they’re “in the 4^th dimension.” They’re pretty silly looking, but then the whole dome on the planet surface thing is silly in itself.

Being new to graphic novels, I am impressed with how the artists arrange the pages—a wide variety of grids and panel sizes, occasional insets, other effects. Being able to flash to another time in one panel and back the next is effective, especially as the artists vary the lengths of these flashes. Even merging the times as in one panel soldier Billy is in bed with his middle-aged wife. And the way hallucinations can just be part of the panel—we’re seeing through Billy’s eyes.

Billy, as drawn, is unattractive, older-looking as a soldier, but still draws me into sympathizing with him. He’s not naïve, just a bit confused and unsure. He does become more confident later in life, becoming a successful author and lecturer. I much appreciate the way Billy progresses through and is presented in this novel: his story arc works well and keeps me along.

But Billy’s the co-star. This is an anti-war war story. It’s winter, drab and dark—compared with the brighter and broader color pallet of the other times and places. Some ugly, haggard people all around.

This graphic novel works, maybe in part due to the freshness of the format to me, and largely in how well those involved here executed it. They let their imaginations go in many places, making this story their own. They honor the media-consciousness they share with the novel by having Vonnegut appear, being himself and also the narrator of the novel, as well as a one-page discussion on “Is the novel dead”? But the chief reason for the graphic novel’s success, to me, is the strong anti-war focus.